While you cant quibble with the quality of Halo 3 - and, to be honest, our trigger finger is still sore from hammering the Covenant - on reflection the game probably didnt deserve five stars as it so doggedly followed the template set by its predecessors and lacked BioShocks visual splendour. So we wont be making the same mistake with PGR.
Like Halo 3, PGR4 is an incredible game, subtly blending the conventions of a driving sim with the thrills of an arcade racer; and if youre already a PGR devotee this slick update is * exactly * what you want. The inclusion of convincing weather effects also makes for a more exciting ride - especially when sliding through a puddle on the apex of an impossible bend - and the addition of motorbikes also brings a sense of danger during the tense urban scrambles that pit four wheels against two.
But theres no escaping the fact that most of PGR4s developments are purely cosmetic and, while its still the finest speedster on the 360, it leaves the empty feeling that - with a little imagination - it could have been so much more.